Demographic factors associated with extreme non-compliance in schizophrenia.

Having identified total non-compliance with neuroleptic medication as a major problem in a significant proportion of schizophrenic patients, an analysis of potentially important demographic factors associated with this problem was carried out. The in-patient records of 256 schizophrenic patients were examined with reference to ethnicity, gender, age, number of admissions and amount of time spent in hospital over a 3-year period. Non-compliant patients differed from those who were at least partially compliant in that they were more likely to be Afro-Caribbean and male, have shorter stays in hospital and have more admissions. There was no difference between these groups in terms of age, although certain subgroups exhibited some age differences. Logistic regression analyses revealed that gender and ethnicity were significant predictors of extreme non-compliance, to the extent that in male Afro-Caribbeans there was a 31% chance that prophylactic medication would be completely refused. The implications of these results and methodological issues are discussed.